Solace in Bittersweet Memories
by The Missing Fangirl
Summary: Clemont reflects on the memories he has of Ash. Some good, some bad.
1. First Day of School

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Pokémon.**

 **Hey, this is The Missing Fangirl, reporting for duty!**

 **I'm sorry I haven't been able to do anything, lately! Sadly, life happens. But did anyone miss me? (**Crickets chirping in the background**)**

 **So anyways, this is what just came into my head one night. By the way, this is going to be multichaptered and it's in a school AU. If you don't like that type of AU, then please don't read. I decided to throw in a little bit of mystery (not like detective mystery, but drama mystery) to try and excite all of you. I apologize if I don't portray the characters very well in this fanfic, so please bear with me. This chapter has _extremely_ light touches of Diodeshipping, so I hope you like it!**

 **Let me first describe this AU. All kids have to go to elementary school, junior high, then to high school before they go venture about the world and become trainers. If they want to pursue other dreams, or professions, then they'll have to go to a university. Oh, and some characters from the other seasons and games will have cameo appearances here. I apologize beforehand if you don't like my system.**

 **So without further delay, happy reading!**

* * *

 **Solace in Bittersweet Memories**

Chapter 1: First Day of School

A seventeen-year-old Clemont sat at his work bench, his head in complete turmoil. _This can't be happening. This can't be happening!_ he thought. He ran his calloused hands through his thick, blonde hair. He knew this day would come, but he didn't know it would occur so soon.

 _Think of the happy things. Don't get all frustrated over this. You knew this would happen sooner or later._ The gym leader of Lumiose City rummaged through his head for all of his happy memories. All of them had to do with _him,_ the person he dreaded to remember the most. But he wanted to torture himself and looked into those particular memories anyway. _Might as well find solace in these bittersweet memories._ Then he imagined, _Oh, the first time I ever felt truly happy..._

* * *

"Have a great first day at school, Clemont!" Meyer waved to his son, who waved back with less enthusiasm.

Little Bonnie waved to her older brother. "Find a good keeper, big brother!"

Clemont fully disregarded that comment. The seven-year old boy walked off nervously to the schoolhouse, grasping his backpack straps tightly between his hands. A million questions were bursting through his mind. _Will everyone like me? Am I going to make any friends? Do I look okay? What if the work is hard? Do I have to run? Are there gonna be a lot of Pokémon there? Will the Pokémon like me?_

He slowly entered the school. Everyone was bustling about the room, trying to find where they sat. Little name tags were tacked onto the desks. The small boy scanned the name tags. He didn't recognize anyone's name, and continued walking around the room.

Gary, Misty, Red and Brock were at table one. Dawn, Barry, Lucas and Zoe were at table two. At table three, Iris, Cilan, Chili and Cress were assigned. Serena, Ash, Miette, and Clemont were at table four. Trevor, Tierno, Shauna, and Calem were assigned to table five.

 _There's my table!_ Clemont thought. He hurried towards his assigned seat and plopped down on the chair. The blonde boy looked around the room at the others.

There was a girl with dark blue hair who was swatting a boy's arm. The boy was laughing, his gravity-defying blonde hair shaked. A girl wearing a pink dress was conversing with a boy with green hair. He was with two other boys, one with long, blue hair, the other with red hair. Clemont assumed they were his brothers, and they were all triplets. A boy with spiky auburn hair was chatting with an orange-haired girl. One girl with long, light brown hair was angrily talking to a girl with short, light blue hair. The other girl's red eyes gleamed, almost demonically. A short, orange-haired boy was taking photos of the classroom.

"Alright, everyone!" The teacher clapped her hands together. Her Chimecho jingled, catching everyone's attention. "Sit down, please."

Everyone silently sat down into their seats. Clemont looked at the people at his table. One person was missing. He peeked at who's desk was empty. _Ash Ketchum. I wonder who that could be,_ he thought.

As if on cue, a little boy ran through the doorway. His black hair was spiky and his tanned skin was shining with beads of sweat. "Sorry I'm late!" He wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"That's alright," the teacher said. "You just go find your seat, now."

The boy hurried to find his seat, which was next to Clemont's. While he was rushing, someone snidely commented, "Classic Ashy-boy."

When he was finally seated, the teacher went on about her introduction. "Alright, now that everyone's situated, let's take a couple of minutes to get us introduced. I'm Ms. Joy, your teacher. So go on and get acquainted, meet the other students in your table now." The room suddenly got loud with noise. Students were chatting with one another, attempting to make friends.

The young, blonde inventor turned to meet his new, fellow classmates. The girl with long, brown hair and bright, blue eyes introduced herself first. "Hi, I'm Serena. I like Pokémon Showcases!" She smiled.

The girl with red eyes grinned. "I'm Miette. I like to bake Poké Puffs, and I'm the _best_ at making them." Serena appeared to scowl at her comment.

Clemont adjusted his glasses. "Hello, I'm Clemont. I like to invent cool gadgets."

"Wow, that's so cool!" The boy next to him bursted with excitement. His warm, brown eyes were practically sparkling. "Science is _so_ awesome!"

The mini mechanic flushed. No one had ever said that to him before. In fact, the only thing he ever heard was how his inventions always exploded in his face. Those comments always came from little Bonnie. "Oh, thanks!" He rubbed the back of his neck.

The boy with black, spiky hair introduced himself. "I'm Ash! I like Pokémon!" He added, "When I grow up, I wanna be a Pokémon master!"

Everyone in the class ended up talking amongst themselves. The chitchat didn't seem to bother the teacher. She was busy feeding her Chimecho some Poké Puffs.

Clemont kept up a lively conversation with Ash. The banter was mostly filled with trivial but humorous topics, and the inventor found himself mesmerized. He had never felt so comfortable around another person, even so, someone that he had just newly met. Everything else seemed to fade away into the background. Then the only thing he remembered was the feeling of sheer happiness.

 _So this is what having a best friend is like._

* * *

Clemont let out a minuscule smile at his childhood naïveté. Little did the younger version of him know that their friendship would become something more. That it would be the cause of why the current version of Clemont was so torn down and distraught.

 _Ah, the beautiful pureness of naïveté,_ he basked in the memory.

 _It didn't last long enough._

* * *

 **What did you think? You'll find out soon enough as to why Clemont is so down and in an angsty mood. Just take a wild guess, and you're probably going to be correct.**

 **Until the next chapter! Stay tuned!**

 **Please review!**

 **The Missing Fangirl**


	2. Frozen Hands

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Pokémon.**

 **Hey, this is The Missing Fangirl!**

 **Alas, this is chapter two! It took a long time to write, so I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!**

* * *

Chapter 2: Frozen Hands

The next memory was when Clemont was nine-years-old. It was the middle of a harsh winter. The leaves had all gone, leaving the trees bare. A young inventor and a Pokémon fanatic were walking in the pure, white snow. Small snowflakes were flurrying through the cold, dry air. School had just recently ended, and small backpacks were strapped to the students' little backs.

Ash sighed, "I can't wait until the summertime..." He adjusted his red scarf and cap. "It's freezing out here! I'm gonna be an ice cube by the time we get to my house!"

Clemont nodded in agreement. To be honest, his left hand felt like it was going to freeze. The cold bit at his fingertips. _Why did I pick my only glove that has holes in it?!_ He shivered. _I should've thought of a situation like this beforehand so I could've made some sort of cool Clemonted Gear!_

"Hey, Clemy?"

"Yeah?" The blonde turned his head.

"Is your hand cold? 'Cause it looks cold." The two locked eyes. Brown to blue.

The future gym leader's cheeks flushed, but not because of the cold. "Yeah, it is. I accidently used the glove with holes in it for my left hand." He sighed, scolding himself in his mind. The hot air from his breath was visible.

The raven haired boy smiled. "Lemme help you with that." He gently took the other boy's left hand in his own. He laced their fingers together.

Clemont's breath hitched, and he stammered. "T-thanks." He tried to hide the growing blush on his face. "Now let's get going to your house."

They continued to walk, hand in hand, down the sidewalk. The blonde would sometimes sneak glances at the boy holding his hand. He looked straight ahead at the path that laid before them. What the inventor didn't know, however, was that Ash was doing the same, and stealing looks at him. A smile secretly played on his lips.

The silence was comforting between them, and the both of them felt completely at ease. They were just enjoying each other's company.

Then Clemont had this strange feeling in the pit of his stomach, that he didn't understand. He felt like a swarm of Vivillon were flapping around in his stomach. And his heart felt like it was swelling, or aching for some odd reason. He searched the contents of his mind for a scientific solution, but found none. He thought, _This feels weird, but I like it for some reason. Why do I like it?_

Ash sensed a bit of uneasiness from the other boy. "Hey, Clemy? Are you alright?" He started to become nervous. "I can stop, if you want." He loosened his grip the slightest bit.

Clemont panicked. "No! It's okay!" He exclaimed. "I like it! A lot!" After that statement, he felt like duct taping his mouth shut. _Me and my big mouth!_ His ears burned, and he quickly turned away.

"Okay, if you say so." The Pokémon fanatic replied casually. He turned away from the boy with glasses and secretly smiled. Another thing Clemont didn't know: Ash wasn't going to let go of his hand, anyway.

Even after ten minutes, Ash never let go. He was determined to hold his hand to the point of it becoming burning hot, and he would _still_ hold it even after that.

On the other hand, Clemont was really nervous. He was afraid of other people (specifically other fellow students) seeing the two of them hold hands. _What would they say about us? About me? Oh, I hope no one sees!_ But he didn't have the heart to let go.

In truth, he loved every moment of it. He liked the feeling of his and Ash's hands pressing together perfectly. He liked the warmth he was supplying his left hand. He basked in the heat. His hand was extremely cold, and the future trainer's hand was pretty warm. He loved the contrast in temperatures.

It was until they had reached their destination, was when they released each other from their grasp. This was because Ash had to open the door with his keys, and he needed to use both hands to fiddle through his backpack.

Once they were in and settled, Clemont finally had the courage to ask. "Hey, Ash? Why did you hold my hand before?"

The spiky haired boy turned around and grinned. "'Cause that's what friends are for!" Shining in his eyes, though, was a completely different reason that he just wasn't ready to say out loud.

Clemont smiled, but weaker than usual.

 _Just friends._

* * *

The seventeen-year old sighed as he felt the tips of his fingers. He relished in the thought of it. Originally, he had been drawing diagrams of future projects, as to distract him from reality. When he looked down at his rough draft, he realized that he had been sketching _his_ face all along.

The teen looked at the panorama in disbelief. Every margin, every space, was filled with his face and his plethora of expressions. He had gotten down every detail of his face, and he wasn't surprised. He would see his face every moment, whether it was from hanging out, passing by, or simply by thinking of him. Either way, he had memorized every curve and line of him.

Clemont threw down the pencil in frustration and buried his head in his hands.

 _Why can't I stop this?_

* * *

 **So what do you think? I had a lot of fun writing this, and I hope you like it! I actually had to revise it and change a whole bunch of the parts until I was satisfied, so I hope it was all worth it!**

 **I'm sorry for friend-zoning Clemont in this chapter! And for not saying why he's so sad...I have something planned—I promise! So please bear with me. I hope you stay with this fanfic until the end!**

 **Until the next chapter, everyone! I'll _hopefully_ be able to update this next week, if I can keep up! I can't say the _exact date_ of when I'll update, but it'll most likely be next week. Oh, and Happy early Thanksgiving! **

**Thanks for reading! Please review!**

 **The Missing Fangirl**


	3. Worth It

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Pokémon.**

 **Hey, this is The Missing Fangirl! **

**So happy update! I had a whole lot of fun writing this, so I hope you like it!**

 ****WARNING** I put a little bit of Serena-bashing in here, so please don't be offended when you read it.**

 **Anyways, happy update, and happy reading!**

* * *

Chapter 3: Worth It

Clemont hated hurting himself like this, but he continued anyway. _It's better to focus on the better things in life, right?_ He tried to remain optimistic, but ironically, the best moments he had in his days were with _him._

 _Calm down, it's not the end of the world. Even though it sure as heck feels like it...I mean, it's his choice, it's his life. I shouldn't be all worked up over his decision, he needs to live his own life. But,_ he pondered for a moment.

 _I just...wish I was a part of it._

* * *

His third memory was when the boy was ten years old. He was swaying slowly on the swing set. Ash was swinging crazily beside him. The sun was a golden yellow orb in the center of a bright, blue sky. The distant chatter and shouts of excited children were audible in the background.

The future trainer laughed jubilantly and grabbed Clemont's hand. "Swing with me, Clemy!"

Clemont blushed. Ash had never ceased to call him by that childish nickname. After what happened when the spiky haired boy "warmed" his hand, he would jump at the opportunity to hold his hand again.

The blonde had finally come to terms with himself in the past. _He had a crush on Ash Ketchum, and he would do anything to be with him._

The said boy skidded to a stop. He turned his head and smiled brightly. "Clemy! Didja see how high I was going?"

"Yeah, I saw. That was pretty cool," the inventor admitted.

Then the two boys just sat on the swings quietly. A sweet scent wafted through the air. The trees were swaying gently, their rich, green leaves rustling. Clemont felt like it was the opportune moment to ask Ash to be his partner in the class project. The only thing stopping him was the swarm of Vivillon flapping in his stomach. _Come on, Clemont. It's now or never._ He was contemplating whether or not to ask. _I mean, what'll happen if I don't ask him?_ What came into his mind was a vivid image of his best friend working with another person. Someone _besides_ Clemont. That image was enough to motivate the little boy.

"Hey, Ash? I was wondering if y-"

The moment was broken when a group of three girls walked over to them. If Clemont remembered correctly (and he usually _did_ ), their names were: Serena, Shauna, and Miette.

Unbeknownst to Ash, Serena was well known for having a serious crush on the said boy. Sadly, he was just too dense to figure it out. The Kalosian thought that he too, wouldn't have known, if not for his new invention. It allowed him to hear what people were whispering to one another, without them knowing. It was one of his most valued inventions, due to the fact that it didn't blow up in his face, unlike all of his other creations. He was yet to show it to the Kanto-native boy, so he would praise the masterpiece and the inventor as well.

Getting back on track, the posse of girls confronted the boys. Serena stood out among the group, looking severely nervous. Her ears were red and she stared at the ground.

The girl to Serena's right, Shauna, lightly nudged her arm. "Uh, Serena? Don't you have something _very_ important to ask Ash?" Her leaf green eyes attempted to meet the other girl's, but was unsuccessful. The girl with long, caramel hair stubbornly had her gaze fixated to the sand underneath her shoes.

The girl to Serena's left, Miette, intervened. "Of course, if _you_ won't ask him, then _I_ will." She whispered. Then she devilishly grinned, and her red eyes glinted evilly. Clemont visibly shivered in fear, which did not go unnoticed by a certain male student.

What Miette said piqued the interest of the long haired girl. Her head whipped up, only to glare angrily at the person who uttered the threat. Then she looked straight ahead, and had an expression that admitted defeat. She took a deep breath.

"Uh...h-hi, Ash!" Serena stammered. "H-how's it going?" She played with her sleeves.

The boy smiled casually. "Hey, Serena. I'm good. So what do you need?"

"I-I...um..." Her voice shook, and her face flushed a deep red. "I was w-wondering if y-you would maybe w-wanna..." She blurted the rest out, "...be my partner in the class project?"

The blonde stared at her in sheer horror. I _was supposed to be the one to ask him! He's supposed to be_ my _partner!_

Ash looked dumbstruck. His brown eyes grew wide and his swinging stopped completely.

Clemont looked between the boy and the nerve wracked girl. _Please say no, please say no..._ He wishfully thought.

The future trainer finally spoke after a long period of silence. "Uh...I mean I'm _flattered_ that you wanna be partners with me, _but,_ " he rubbed the back of his neck. "To tell you the truth, I was kinda hoping that _Clemont_ would ask me." He looked into the blonde's eyes.

 _Wait, what?_ The inventor thought he had processed the message wrong. He blinked twice, and the other boy just kept on looking at him. He came to the realization that he _wasn't_ wrong about what he heard.

The raven haired boy continued. "I mean, he hasn't actually _asked_ me yet, but...I was just thinking...that _we_ were gonna work together." His cheeks grew darker at the last part.

Clemont finally realized all of the messages his friend was trying to send. The child _genius_ had never felt so _stupid_ in his entire life. He jumped at the opportunity. "Yeah, _okay!_ I'd be _glad_ to work with you!" He inwardly scolded himself afterward for sounding too enthusiastic and desperate. The Kanto boy beamed at him, happiness shining in his gaze.

Serena, on the other hand, was standing there plainly, watching the whole thing. The color had drained from her face. Her eyes became slightly watery. She squeaked out, "T-that's okay! I was thinking of working with Shauna anyway!" Her tone was dripping with apologies. Then she frantically grabbed her friends' arms and dragged them away.

Once they were out of sight, the two boys sighed tiredly in unison.

Ash spared Clemont a weak smile. "Thanks for helping me shoo them away, Clemy. If I was all alone, I probably would've been pressured into working with Serena against my will! That Miette girl would've stared me down with those _laser_ eyes until I said yes!" He laughed. "Anyway, thanks for being here with me. I _really_ appreciate it."

The Kalosian smiled and asked out of curiosity, "Did you really mean what you were telling her? I mean, it's alright if you were just saying it to get her to go away, but did you mean it?"

The Kanto boy grinned. "Of _course_ I meant it! I don't want _her,_ I want _you!_ "

Clemont was taken completely by surprise. Blood rushed to his cheeks. While _yes,_ the inventor regretted making Serena feel upset, he thought it was worth the pain.

 _Just to see Ash smile._

* * *

 **So what did you think? I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did! Expect another update next week!**

 **I'm sorry for not explaining the reason why Clemont's so sad! It's gonna be a couple more chapters until I say why, so please bear with me! I hope that you will stay with me until the end of this fanfic, and even after that!**

 **Thanks for reading! Please review!**

 **The Missing Fangirl**


	4. Ramen

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Pokémon.**

 **Hey, it's The Missing Fangirl...again! And a happy update I have for you all!**

 **Voilà! Here's chapter 4! I had a whole lot of fun writing this chapter (I think this one so far is my favorite!) Actually, I had so much fun that when I completed it, the Document said it contained about 2,297 words! I've never been prouder of myself, because once I started writing the beginning, I couldn't stop! I guess that makes me a better writer, in a sense.**

 **An explanation as to why I'm updating with a new chapter one day early: I finished writing already, and I was antsy. After I completed this chapter, I couldn't wait to share it with you all!**

 **Without further ado, here's chapter 4! Enjoy!**

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Chapter 4: Ramen

The fourth memory was when Clemont was twelve years old. It was nearing the end of his first year of middle school, and he was scribbling the last few numbers on his math test. There were five minutes until eighth period ended, which was the last period of the day. It was a beautiful Friday afternoon. The humid, summer air was breezing through the open window. The boy with glasses rolled his sleeves up. _It's so hot in here,_ he thought. He set down the pencil beside his completed paper.

He eyed the clock. _Two more minutes._ He then peeked at the empty seat adjacent to himself. It was the second day that Ash didn't come to school. _What's up with Ash? Is he alright? I should check up on him on my way home._

His blue eyes circled the room out of boredom. One kid with bright, orange hair—his name was Trevor—was attempting to balance an eraser on the tip of a mechanical pencil, to no avail. Another boy with gravity-defying blonde hair—Barry—was dreamily staring at the blue haired girl who sat in front of him, whose name was Dawn. Barry's paper was blank, for he was distracted.

The bell had finally rang, much to Clemont's relief. He practically _jumped_ out of his chair, grabbed his backpack, left his test on the teacher's desk, and darted out of the classroom. He miraculously found himself already on the sidewalk, speed-walking to Ash's house. _Slow down, Clemont. Don't rush too much. Or else you might get hurt. I know you're excited, but Ash might think you're too desperate because you're rushing!_ Clemont didn't listen to himself, and continued speed-walking. He anxiously gripped the straps of his backpack.

Then it appeared like a bright beacon—Ash's house. Already on the doorstep, Clemont rapped on the door like his life depended on it. After a few moments, Ash's mother, Delia, opened the door. "Oh, Clemont! Ash was _just_ talking about you! Come in, come in! Ash would be so, _so_ happy to see you!" She ushered the boy inside, closing the front door behind him.

After Clemont took off his shoes, the mother led the blonde to her son's room and knocked on the door. "Sweetie? Someone's here to see you!" Even without hearing a reply, she opened the door and Clemont entered.

Ash was sulking on his bed, his left hand in a cast. After seeing the newcomer, he sat up, propping the upper portion of his body up with his arms. Then he winced and his left arm buckled. So he held himself up with his right arm and slowly sat up properly. His face brightened into a full-out smile. " _Clemy!_ "

Delia smiled knowingly, "I'll leave you two to chat. I'm actually gonna head out to work—the restaurant can't run itself! Bye, Ash-sweetie! Love you! Bye, Clemont! You two have fun~!" She was in the middle of closing the door, but stopped abruptly. "Oh, and Clemont! You take care of my little Ash while I'm gone, okay?" The inventor nodded. "Okay. You be nice, Ash!" Then she quickly closed the door.

Clemont turned to Ash. His cheeks were dark. "D-don't mind her, s-she doesn't mean that!" Afterwards he adjusted himself so he was sitting at the foot of the bed. He patted the space next to him, gesturing for the boy to sit. The blonde first set down his backpack, then happily accepted the invitation. When he sat down, their arms were just barely touching. Neither decided to move.

The inventor gestured to the other boy's hand. "So what happened to your hand?" He used every ounce of effort to try not to sound overly concerned. Inside, he was freaking out. _What happened? Are you alright? Who did this to you?!_ He was anything _but_ unconcerned.

"Oh, this?" The injured boy shook his hurt arm. "I got into...a fight with, _um_...a guy." He was averting his eyes suspiciously. "I won, though!"

 _He's lying,_ Clemont thought. Then he said aloud, "Ash, I can tell when you're lying. I mean, I'm your best friend. So what _really_ happened." He knew this boy enough to know how he acted.

Ash laughed nervously. "Aw, geez. You really _are_ my best friend, aren't you?" His cheeks grew dark once again. "So the real story is...I was biking on the sidewalk of Lumiose City and my tire got stuck on a pebble. I flipped over and I tried to break my fall with my hand, like when you outstretch your arm and stuff. As I was crashing onto the pavement, I heard a little snap and I fell to the ground. I was in a whole lot of pain, and these people helped me to the nearest Center, so I could get fixed up. And so, here I am." He lifted up his left arm and showed the boy his cast. "My wrist is fractured, and my arm is pretty badly scraped. Nurse Joy said that my arm will be better in _probably_ six weeks. She said something about it being a closed fracture, so yeah. That's the highlight of _my_ week."

The cast was a deep, sky blue color. His fingers were peeking out of the encasing. The only thing Clemont could think of was, _Why did he pick the color blue? I thought he liked the color red?_ Instead he replied, "Ouch. So how are you now? Do you want me to bring you anything? Like food, or water, for instance?" He felt so bad for the boy, and felt obliged to take care of him.

The Kanto-born boy perked up at the offer. "Can I actually have some food?" He paused for a brief moment. "I'd like some ramen, if you wouldn't mind. I think I have some instant ramen noodles left in the cabinet. Y'know what? I'll just show you." He was positioning himself to get up.

The blonde was quick to stop him, grabbing his right hand in the process. He fretted, " _Don't,_ Ash! You might hurt yourself!" His sky blue eyes were wide, extremely worried about the other's wellbeing.

The said boy chuckled. "Geez, Clemy! It's just my left hand, it's not like it's my legs or anything! You're such a worrier." He got up, opened the door, and exited. The inventor speedily followed. Then the boy with a cast pointed to one of the lower kitchen cabinets that held the instant ramen. "It's in there, I think."

After hearing this, the preteen with glasses bent down and rummaged through the cupboard. He found the package and drew it out. He read, or _tried_ to, read the instructions. "Aw no! It's all in another language! I can't read _this!_ " A frown was etched into his features.

"And that, my friend," Ash inputted. "...is why there are _picture instructions._ " His finger motioned to the column along the side of the packaging. Smug was written all over his face.

Clemont's cheeks became a light shade of pink. "Oh. I didn't see that." _Arceus, Clemont! Now you embarrassed yourself right in front of your crush!_ "I'll just start cooking now." He brought the food items to the kitchen counter and started to prepare the food. While he was boiling the water, the future trainer flopped onto the couch in the living room, which was adjacent to the kitchen. The cook heard the familiar click of the television turning on. The sound of cartoons filled the air.

The blue eyed boy perused through the picture instructions. _So basically I have to heat up the water, add the "flavoring", pour water into the bowl, then let it sit? Sounds simple enough!_ He was already boiling the water, so now he just had to pour in the flavor package. After opening the little packet, he hesitated. _Wait, what's in this, anyway?_ He tasted a bit of the seasoning, just to make sure. _Aww, there's some MSG in here! That's not good for you at all!_ He uttered a quiet "Yuck!"

Apparently by having super hearing, the spiky haired boy sat up. "Why? What's 'yuck'?" He seemed panicked. He rushed over to the kitchen.

The Kalosian explained, "You see, Ash. One of the ingredients in this flavoring is MSG, or Monosodium Glutamate." The other boy looked dumbstruck. "Okay, so Monosodium Glutamate, a.k.a. MSG, is an additive to food that enhances its flavor. The substance itself is tasteless, but there were some cases where ingesting it caused headaches, stomachaches, and the like. Scientists haven't yet proved if MSG leads to those problems, but I believe that it is bad for you." The words seemed to go in one ear, and out the other. "Alright. So to put it all together, MSG is _bad_ for you."

It clicked. " _Ohh._ " Then the brown eyed boy gasped. "So you mean what I've been eating is _bad?_ My life has been a lie!" He wailed. " _Now_ what am I gonna eat? I'm gonna have to _starve!_ " He threaded his fingers through his own hair.

The blonde gripped his shoulders, steadying the boy. "There's no way _I'm_ going to let that happen! I'll just use these noodles, and make you ramen from _scratch!_ I'm also a very talented cook, if I do say so myself."

"Really?" The boy from Kanto looked up into the cook's eyes. They were practically sparkling out of sheer excitement. "You can do that?! _Yeah!_ " Then he eagerly jumped onto the couch to wait for his meal.

Clemont laughed and commented. "Anything for you, _Ashy._ " A short moment later, he realized the pet name he had given him. _Ashy? Seriously, Clemont?!_

Ash appeared to not be listening. He was flipping through the various television channels. In reality though, after hearing the comment, Ash had to purse his lips shut, as to not let out a wide smile. He tried very hard to focus on the television screen.

The blonde preteen laid out a plethora of ingredients, keen on making the best bowl of ramen the shorter boy had ever tasted. _Alright. I've got the ingredients. Now I can start cooking!_ He determinedly rubbed the palms of his hands together. Like lightning, the boy prepared the meal. _Like they say,_ he thought. _A way to a boy's heart is through his stomach! Ash is gonna love this!_

" _Ugh!_ " Ash complained. "Is it gonna be ready yet? It's been, like 30 minutes! I'm _starving!_ " He gripped his stomach as if it were going to fall out.

With beads of sweat dripping down his forehead and fogged up glasses, the Kalosian answered, exhausted. "It's done!" He wiped his forehead with a napkin and brought over the steaming bowls. He set them down gingerly onto the table. "Here you go: a bowl of ramen, just like you asked."

The future trainer's eyes sparkled. "It's so _perfect!_ I'll make sure to savor the wonderful food you have prepared for me!" As a tradition in his native homeland, he clapped his hands together. "Thank you for the food!" Then he dug in right away. He was practically _inhaling_ the noodles.

"Whoa, slow down!" The cook chided. "You're gonna get a stomachache that way!" _How can he eat this fast even with a broken wrist?_ The boy slowed down his rate of inhaling dramatically. He decided to take smaller swallows. " _There_ you go. Now you can properly savor the soup that I _expertly_ made," he said proudly.

After seeing the enjoyment on the consumer's face, the cook himself chose to begin his bowl. _Mmm, the ramen noodles are so well cooked! Yum! And the scallions bring a perfect balance! Oh, and the broth! It's so flavorful with a hint of spice! Everything about it is a million times better than those unhealthy instant ramen noodle flavor packets!_ He basked in the deliciousness of his dish. Pure bliss was written on his face. _A job well done, Chef Clemont. A job well done._ He praised himself in his mind.

Once the two preteens were completely done with their meal, they put their bowls into the sink, and crashed onto the couch.

The television was ignored, for Ash was busy glorifying the meal. " _Arceus,_ Clemont! That was the best thing I've ever tasted! How come you didn't tell me sooner that you can cook so well!" His eyes were shining with a burning passion. "I should have you over every day so you can make my meals! You're the best cook in the world! I'm so _jealous_ of Bonnie—she gets to have your delicious food _every single day!_ " The next part had startled the inventor. With darkened cheeks and a warm face he added, "Forget about everyone else, _you're_ the one I need!"

* * *

An older Clemont smiled upon the memory. He sighed gloomily and rested his face on his workbench table. Then he slowly resorted to anger.

 _Who does he think he is, teasing me like that!? After all these years together, and he's just—?! It's all down the drain now! So we're just going to have to live our lives separately from now on? I,_ he sniffled. _I'm just going to have to live without him, then?_

The seventeen year old stood up and slumped over to his bed. He flopped himself onto the mattress and succumbed to his sadness. His eyes started leaking, and they wouldn't stop. There the teen lied, sobbing silently in the dim light.

A small voice in the back of his mind echoed. _Did he even remember the promise he made to me? Did it matter to him one bit when he made his decision?_

Another part of him replied with the utmost bitterness. _Of course not._

A pang of pathetic sadness coursed through him. _But he promised..._

 _He promised me forever, didn't he?_

* * *

 **So what did you think? I'm sorry (again) for making it a little vague when I flash forward to the present, and for not explaining why our lovely Clemont is still down in the dumps! I'm just trying to feed you little hints in these present-Clemont situations! All these bits will fit into a big picture!**

 **I just loved writing about the ramen noodles and Clemont's rant on MSG! Yes, it is a real ingredient! While writing this, I got super duper hungry, so I just made myself some instant ramen noodles too! I was really getting into the spirit of things! I really hope you liked this long treat—I mean, chapter! Well, it _is_ a treat. Just consider it a Happy Holidays present.**

 **Oh, and just you wait! I'm adding a dash of excitement in the _next_ chapter, so please wait until then! Also feel free to PM me if you have any questions! The only thing I _won't_ say, is why Clemont's so sad! I want to keep the suspense here, if you don't mind! But if you have any suggestions or just wanna chat, I'm up for it! Until the next update!**

 **Thanks for reading! Please review!**

 **- The Missing Fangirl**


	5. Liar Part I

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Pokémon.**

 **Hey, this is The Missing Fangirl, reporting for duty!**

 **I'm sorry I couldn't update right away, it took me a while to write this. So this section is broken up into two parts, and it's kind of long. This was one of the tricks I had up my sleeve, so I hope you enjoy it!**

 **Happy update! Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 5: Liar Part I

It was Autumn. Last year of junior high. This was the fifth memory. During the awkward years. In truth, this was Clemont's most loathed, and most treasured memory. The wind was howling outside, hinting at a brutal winter. The inventor peeked out one of the many windows in Prism Tower. The sun was almost completely set, and the trees planted on the pavement were swaying violently.

He sipped his warm tea, so it would relax his nerves. The boy had just recently finished a battle with an older trainer. After the gym leader found himself victorious, he walked out of the battle grounds, seemingly composed. Once the automatic doors slid to a close behind him, shrouding him from others, he praised himself. The winner jumped up and down, punched both fists in the air, and basically did everything a sore winner would do. He did these things though, in pure silence, just in case Bonnie would hear him from her room.

So he sipped, and sipped, his victory cup of tea. _Victory certainly is sweet._ He smiled. He toasted his cup towards his Luxray, who was curled up on the floor. "Thanks for all your hard work out there!"

Regardless of everyone his age already having received their starter Pokémon, it was a bit unorthodox for a boy of thirteen to run his own gym. But people had found his knowledge and expertise in electric-type Pokémon to be astounding. All those years of secretly taking university-level classes certainly paid off. And Clemont was happy, to an extent. His knowledge and experience came at a price, though.

 _I wish I could celebrate this victory with my best friend,_ he thought.

No one at school, or who he socialized with outside of home, knew his secret. 'Why didn't he tell anyone?' Some people might ask. The answer was simple, and a bit silly. _He was embarrassed._

 _What would people think of me if they knew? What would Ash think of me? I've been a gym leader for a good two years now, and it'll be bad to tell Ash about it now. And if I tell him now, who knows what'll happen?_ These were some thoughts that were scattered throughout Clemont's conscience. There were times where he wanted to tell his best friend, but something in him was preventing the truth from coming out. It was probably the heavy sense of insecurity in his personality.

At the age of thirteen, the world and other people seemed either very nice, or extremely harsh. To the Lumiose gym leader, his perspective of people leaned towards the harsher side. So trust was a little harder to find, and he kept all his secrets within. He thought that people would always respond in the negative way, so he was scared to trust people so easily. That's just how thirteen year olds were.

Then there was a ring on his Holo Caster. Clemont first made sure no one else was in sight, then answered the call. "Hello?"

" _Clemy!_ " A familiar voice called out of the device. A hologram image of a beaming Kanto boy appeared in front of him. "How's it goin'?"

The blonde smiled, his cheeks growing pink. _It's a good thing these Holo Caster images don't have any color in them!_ "I've been well. So what is it you need?"

"You forgot, didn't you. About tonight."

Clemont froze. _Oh my Arceus. I forgot about our scheduled get together!_ During school the previous day, Ash had asked if he wanted to go around the city. He remembered what had happened in the course of a second.

* * *

It was in the middle of a science lab, where the students had to view various things through a compound light microscope. Clemont was ( _obviously_ ) teamed up with Ash, and the blonde was viewing a newspaper clipping through the ocular eyepiece. He was frantically turning the fine adjustment knob, trying to focus the image. The aspiring trainer next to him was drawing a picture of his Pikachu in the margins of his paper. Then he stopped and turned to the scientist.

"So, Clemont," he began.

The thirteen year old blonde could see the boy fidgeting back and forth through his peripheral vision. "Yes, Ash?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to maybe...walk around Lumiose City for a bit on Saturday? At 6:00?" He was looking anywhere _but_ at who he was talking to. "We could visit a whole bunch of places, go to one of those cafés—it'll be fun!"

The inventor removed his gaze from the microscope ocular to his lab partner. His face grew warm. His heart was making erratic palpitations. His voice then lowered to a whisper. "You mean like...a _date?_ "

Ash's eyes widened. He whisper-screamed back nervously. He didn't want to catch the attention of the entire class. " _No!_ Just like hanging out! As really good friends!" His cheeks grew dark and he began spitting out excuses here and there.

Clemont looked at him and grinned mischievously. "I was just _kidding!_ " He laughed as his lab partner shoved his arm playfully. "But I'll go. So it's gonna be tomorrow evening at 6:00, and where are we meeting?"

The brown eyed boy thought for a moment. "In front of the Galette Stand! I heard that those taste so good!"

"Yeah, they do. After a batt-," he began. "-I mean after school Bonnie and I would sometimes go there. But they only sell them fresh at certain times. So I think that wouldn't be a very good place to meet at." _I almost blurted out my secret! I've gotta be more careful with what I say!_

"Um...so how about on the North side of Prism Tower?" He suggested.

The Lumiose gym leader froze. _Bad idea, bad idea! But I don't have any believable excuse for that! I guess I'll just have to find a way to get to him without him noticing my exit from Prism Tower! Maybe I could just exit from the South side! That's a great idea!_ He reluctantly agreed. "Okay! Meet you there!"

* * *

"I'm _really_ sorry, Ash!" Clemont averted his gaze from the hologram boy. "I'll run over there right now! It'll only take a few minutes! I'll see you there!"

"Okay! Come on quickly! I'll be waiting. Bye!" The image of the boy disappeared.

Once he was gone, the blonde flopped backwards onto his chair and slapped his hands onto his face. "Aww, I really messed that one up, didn't I?" He thought aloud. Then he gathered some of his to-go items (a.k.a. his trusted backpack), quickly petted his Luxray, and went on his way. This was not before turning on Clembot so he could take over the gym for the remainder of the day. Then he entered the elevator and pressed the button for the first floor. After a minute and some awkward elevator music later, he had arrived on the entrance floor. After that, he exited through the southern entrance of the tower, and made his way towards the north side. He ran as fast as he could, not wanting his friend to wait any longer.

Immediately, the blue eyed boy spotted the teen leaning on a fence post. His face was tilted down, and his hat covered his eyes like a veil. When Clemont stepped close enough for the other to notice, he looked up.

His expression automatically brightened. "Clemy! I didn't expect you to get here so early!" He took a step closer. "But anyway, let's get a move on! We're burning daylight!" Then he noticed the inventor panting heavily. "You ran, didn't you?" It was more of a statement than a question.

The blonde could only nod his head. Beads of sweat were already appearing on his forehead. He wiped them with his sleeve. Then he whipped out a bottle of water and chugged it almost to the halfway point. After the long production, the boy finally said, "Let's go."

Ash answered with an ear to ear grin and a grabbing of the other boy's arm. "We're burning daylight!" He repeated what he had said earlier. Before Clemont could retort with a statement that contradicted what Ash had said, the brown eyed boy ran.

With a yelp and lurching forward, the Lumiose gym leader sped off into the streets against his will. They were already at Northern Boulevard when the awkward teen screamed in opposition, "Ash! Slow down!" His legs had felt like they were turned into jelly, and a tired, heavy feeling had taken over his very being. Light and signs became a blurry mess, and the scientist had no idea where North or South was.

Just as fast as the activity had started, it stopped abruptly. Clemont found himself bumping into Ash's back with an "Oof!" His forehead clashed with the back of the black haired boy's head. "Ow!" A bright red mark appeared on the inventor's forehead. He rubbed the mark, a frown appearing on his face.

The aspiring trainer spun around in a flash. "Clemont! I'm _so_ sorry! I didn't mean to!" The wounded boy had found hands roaming his face. A hand cupped his cheek and another hand hovered over his forehead. Gingerly, the brown eyed boy brushed the strands of blonde hair away from the red mark. Gentle fingers rubbed the mark, attempting to soothe the pain.

The scientist found his blue eyes closing shut. He shivered inside at the feeling of the (slightly) shorter boy's fingers on his face. While the blonde's eyes were closed, Ash stopped the rubbing. His bright, brown eyes slowly lowered to look at another part of Clemont's facial features. _The inventor's lips._

Ash ever so slowly leaned in close. He examined the very light hue of pink on the blue eyed teen's cheeks. Then he aimed for a different spot, which made him stand on the tip of his toes. He closed his eyes, while cupping both sides of his face, and kissed Clemont's forehead. Ash would've _loved_ to lock lips with Clemont, but he felt it just wasn't the right time. Even though he was unsure of how the blonde felt about him, that didn't stop him from kissing his forehead. Ash also felt that he didn't want to steal the inventor's first kiss. Or at least, not _yet._ But he knew, either way, that he would be Clemont's first.

Upon the kiss, the teen opened his eyes, revealing shining blue ones underneath. He opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. The taller boy was star struck, and a bright blush painted his cheeks.

To avoid the awkwardness, the brown eyed teen grabbed the Kalosian's arm once again, and sped off to their desired destination. Which in this case, was Café Soleil. In their duration of running, the Lumiose gym leader could only stare at the back of Ash's head. His free hand chose to touch his still tingling forehead. _He...he kissed my forehead! But why?_ That question would echo in the blonde's head, to the point where he would think of a certain future trainer all the time. _Is this what being in "like" is?_

Slowly, as to not hurt the scientist again, the boy from Kanto was decelerating his speed carefully. "Here we are! Café Soleil!" They had reached the café, and walked inside.

Inside, there was a display case that showed the variety of food and pastries they sold. A sign above the register represented the coffees, teas and other beverages they had for today. " _Mmm!_ All the options here look so delicious!" Clemont clapped his hands together. "I think I have an idea of what to get!" His stomach growled in agreement.

Ash couldn't agree more. "There are so many good choices! But I already know what I'm having." Then the two teens went up to order. The line was nonexistent, so they didn't have to wait.

The young woman at the cash register took their order. " _Bonjour,_ boys. May I take your order?"

Clemont started. "Yes. I would like a small, vanilla chai tea with French vanilla creamer on top. I would also like one of your fresh croissants, _s'il vous plaît._ I know it's not breakfast, but I've been craving for one." The cashier put in his order.

Then Ash began. "Oh, can I get a small hot chocolate, please? And I'd also like one of your tarts. Thanks."

The cashier inputted the order and Ash paid for their food. Once they got to their seats, he said. "Since I was the one who offered this get together, I'll be the one who pays." He smiled warmly, and the Lumiose gym leader felt warm inside.

Not too long afterwards, the waitress came over with their ordered food.

The Kalosian peeked at what the other boy ordered. " _Mm,_ that looks so good!" Then he looked at his own plate, and his stomach grumbled. He took a small sip of his chai tea and a bite from his croissant. _The mixture of flavors and textures! Amazing! Oh, and the dry flakiness of the croissant mixed with the creamy vanilla chai? Delicious!_ All these thoughts were racing in the blue eyed boy's mind as he savored his snack. _I should go here more often..._

"So what do you think?" The spiky haired boy's voice pulled him from his thoughts.

"Oh!" Clemont perked up. "This is _amazing!_ I should introduce this place to Bonnie! She would enjoy it, I think." He gave out a small smile as he thought of his outgoing younger sibling. "I wouldn't mind spending all my money on this!" He laughed.

Ash beamed. "I'm glad you like it! Now finish up quickly, so I can show you what _else_ I have planned!" He was pulsing with excitement.

 _I'm glad I came here with him. I feel so happy right now. There's no place I'd rather be,_ the scientist thought. _I wonder what else he has in store for me this evening? Well, whatever it is, I can't wait!_ Now the blonde had motivation to eat faster. At his last bite, a semi-familiar voice stopped him.

" _Oh my Arceus! It's the Lumiose gym leader!_ "

Clemont turned deathly still and moved his head to see who uttered those words. _Please let it be in my head, please let it be in my head!_

To Clemont's dismay, it wasn't.

An older trainer was staring right at the blonde. _Oh Arceus, it's the trainer I won against this afternoon! I'm dead!_

The guy ran up to the table the two teens sat at. "Clemont! It really _is_ you!"

The Lumiose gym leader's jaw was frozen shut. Even though he wasn't looking, he could feel Ash's eyes on him.

Ash broke the silent barrier. "What do you mean?" His tone of voice was serious. "Who are you saying Clemont is?"

"The Lumiose gym leader, of course!" The trainer exclaimed. "You didn't know that? He's pretty famous around these parts! He runs the electric-type gym in the center of the city. That's right, Prism Tower! And I just battled him today, but I lost. I had a lot of fun, though! He's an amazing gym leader, and he's so young! Isn't that just _so_ cool?"

The blue eyed boy broke out into a cold sweat. _He's really letting out all of my secrets! What am I going to do?_

"That's really cool." The other boy replied in a monotonous voice. "I didn't know that."

The newcomer said with a grin, "Well, I'll just leave you two to your food now. See you later!" He walked briskly away, and out the door.

At the moment he was out of sight, Ash dropped his fork onto the table. "Is it true?" His voice came out as an almost inaudible whisper. His hands shook and his hat shadowed over his eyes. When the Lumiose gym leader said nothing, he finally looked up. His big, brown eyes were filled with disbelief and betrayal. "Is it true?!" He raised his voice, catching the attention of all the people in the café.

With much sadness, the blue eyed boy admitted softly, " _Yes._ I am the Lumiose gym leader."

Tears had sprung to the boy's brown eyes. "After all these years, you didn't tell me?!" He didn't wait for an answer. "I'm your best friend! If anything, _I_ should be the one to know about this!" He wiped his face, trying to fend off the leaks. "The fact that you couldn't trust me with this information just _hurts!_ " This time he didn't bother drying the salty liquid. "I thought what we had... _no._ I thought that we were friends. I really thought that you trusted me with everything, but I guess not."

"Ash, I-" The blonde interjected.

"Don't even say anything!" He interrupted, the warm liquid streaming down his cheeks. "Who knows what you'll say?! It might just be another lie! You're a _liar,_ Clemont! And I don't wanna be friends with you anymore!"

On that note, he bursted out of the room.

"Ash! _Wait!_ " The Kalosian immediately ran after him. His eyes stung as he ran out the door. "Please! Come back! I'm sorry!"

When he looked out, his best friend was now gone. Rain started to pour in, the large beads of water crashing down. The water came down hard, drenching the boy to the bone. The rain masked the leaks of water pouring down his face. The liar ran a hand through his damp hair and let out a sob. He wanted to scream, he wanted to kick himself, he wanted to run after the boy. _I'm such an idiot,_ he thought bitterly. _He was my best friend, and I should've told him. But I didn't. What's wrong with me?_

He leaned against a wall and buried his head in his hands. For at that moment, his world had ended. The one person he cared for dearly had left, and he had nowhere to go.

And so Clemont cried. Alone. Soaked. Freezing.

 _A liar._

* * *

 **So what did you think?**

 **I know. I'm horrible for ending this chapter on a bad note! But I'll make it up to you in chapter 6! This was something I've been planning for a while, but I'm glad that I got to get it out of my system.**

 **What did you think? Are you (most likely) angry with me because of the way it ended? Or are you in tears (well, I'm not sure about _that._ I don't think I'm _that_ good of a writer to make people cry...) because of how betrayed Ash was upon hearing the news? I'd like to hear how you felt about this chapter!**

 **[Not so] Happy update! I'll try to squeeze another chapter in next week, but I hope you follow this until the end! I appreciate it!**

 **Thanks for reading! Please review!**

 **- The Missing Fangirl**


	6. Liar Part II

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Pokémon.**

 **Hey, this is The Missing Fangirl! Happy New Year! I apologize for not being able to update last week...it was the holidays and I was rather busy. I also apologize for splitting up the parts in this chapter a lot...you'll understand as you read. But I found this one of the hardest chapters to write. Especially when it's a continuation to last chapter. **

**The characters here might be a bit OOC, but I have a reason for it. (Again, you'll find out.) In this chapter I hoped to achieve some character development in one of the female characters. So I hope you like this chapter, and I hope I didn't write it too sappy. I'm a sucker for sap, I'm sorry!**

 **Happy update!**

* * *

Chapter 6: Liar Part II

The rest of the month was all a blur. During school, Clemont was overall shunned by his best friend. They no longer hung out, they no longer sat together at lunch and the only time they spoke was in class when it was absolutely necessary. Having their seats next to each other in every class seemed like a curse.

The day's grew shorter, and Clemont was constantly down in the dumps. Little Bonnie had noticed her big brother's mood, and she couldn't take it anymore. He was eating in smaller portions and seldom made inventions like he used to. In the rare moments that he did smile, his eyes were filled with great sadness. During gym battles, he fought without motivation and lost more easily. He instead used Clembot to fight so he wouldn't have to lose another battle.

Bonnie wasn't stupid. She was a girl, so naturally she knew exactly the reason as to why her big brother was in such a funk. _Ash has to be the reason,_ she thought to herself as she sat at the dinner table. She swallowed a bite of her onigiri with a frown. Even though her onigiri was shaped like an adorable Dedenne, she had a reason to be sad. Clemont was under a dark cloud and it seemed like a Pokémon used Rain Dance on him. Her father, Meyer didn't seem to notice a thing. _Classic Daddy. Just as dense as your son._

Except Bonnie was determined. _I'll do whatever it takes to get him and Ash back together again! And I mean anything! I didn't stop looking for a keeper for my brother so_ this _could happen!_ She knew a keeper when she saw it. Among all the girls she examined (for their compatibility, of course), Ash Ketchum, being a _boy,_ was the most worthy of her older brother. Bonnie had noticed how mindful and considerate Ash was towards Clemont. Even though Ash seemed to act that way around everyone else, he was the slightest bit different around the Lumiose gym leader.

The little girl knew all these things after observing them over the years. Sometimes when the two boys would go on outings (of which Clemont insisted were _not_ dates), the small girl would sneakily follow them. While _yes,_ this would be considered spying, Bonnie felt like she needed to know everything about the boy from the Kanto region. She needed to know how compatible he and her brother were. After gathering years and years of scientific research, she had found Ash to be the perfect keeper for Clemont.

 _It's so_ obvious _that he has a thing for Clemont!_ The blonde exclaimed in her mind. _The small, fleeting touches the raven haired boy initiates. The goofed up smile he gets on his face whenever Big Brother comes by. Those little chances he takes to grab his hand. These are only_ some _of the things Ash does! Big Brother, it's so obvious! He's your keeper for life!_ She bit into her onigiri without mercy.

 _I'm not letting all of my research go down the toilet! I have to get them back together!_

* * *

Serena was just about finished with her geography essay when she noticed the lack of noise in the room. That was an exaggeration. Everyone else in the classroom was talking, except for the two boys sitting in the front. But they were usually the ones who chatted the most. A deep silence was bordering between the duo, and the tension was radiating off of them.

 _Weird,_ the brunette thought. _They're not talking. They_ always _talked during class._

The caramel haired girl looked back and forth between them. _Hmm. Heads down, focusing on their work, facing the opposite direction. This isn't right. What's wrong with them?_ Normally they would spend their free time chatting away. Clemont, being the good student, would always finish his work, but most of the time, Ash would have to copy down the answers from him. Except now there was no interaction between the two boys. The girl concluded that they were no longer friends.

In her normal state of mind, Serena would've jumped with glee. She would have screamed in her head, _Now I have a chance!_ But no such thought went through her. _I know I should feel happy, but I can't. I thought the two of them were inseparable! They were always so happy around each other...what happened?_

The brunette knew deep inside that they liked each other. Even though they were both boys, she had felt that they were good for one another. _I like Ash, but I'm going to put my feelings for him aside and do my best to help get them back together._ She was willing to give up on her small, petty crush for the sake of true love. She felt in her heart that it was the right thing to do.

 _But I can't do this alone..._

* * *

Ash was flopped face down onto his bed. It was almost three weeks after the incident. A blanket was sloppily thrown over him, and Pikachu was on his back, attempting to cheer the boy up. Earlier, his mother had tried to get him to eat his favorite meal (which was ramen made from scratch), but he refused. It reminded him too much of the Lumiose gym leader and his stellar cooking skills.

The teen was brooding under his blanket when Pikachu decided to electrocute him.

"Agh!" He yelped and bolted upright in his bed. "What was that for, Pikachu?!"

The Pokémon replied with a "Pika pi!" He appeared to be irritated with the raven haired boy.

The brown eyed boy brought his knees to his chin. "I know I'm not myself at all. And I know I should forgive him, but I can't." He rubbed his swollen, red eyes. "I thought he could trust me with everything, y'know? I just feel so betrayed." He choked back a sob. "And when I told him that we weren't friends anymore, I instantly regretted it. I'm such an idiot."

Pikachu gave a "Pika pika," of understanding.

Suddenly the door opened and Delia's head popped out. "Ash, there's a girl here to see you. I'll let her in." The woman took one last pitiful glance at the somber boy and left. The door opened wide and Serena stepped inside. The boy noticed how Delia had left the door wide open. _Hmm, that's weird. When Clemont comes over, Mom always closes the door eagerly._ A wave of sadness washed over him when he thought of the blonde.

"Serena," he began. "What are you doing here?" He felt extremely awkward, for there was a girl in his room. He was also uncomfortable for the fact that he was wearing his pajamas. They consisted of a blue, short sleeved shirt and short, black boxers. _It's a good thing that I'm not wearing the boxers with Pokéballs on it! Those are in the wash!_ He shifted nervously from foot to foot. His head was tilted down, so she wouldn't see how torn he was over the situation. Pikachu was perched on his shoulder, observing the scene silently.

The short haired girl appeared to be worried. "Ash, I'm here to help you get back together with Clemont." Her blue eyes were shining with sheer determination.

The boy from the Kanto region looked away. He replied stubbornly, "I don't want to speak to him." He rubbed his arms.

"Is that true?" She asked. "Because you seem really upset. I saw you two in class, not talking, and I was really bothered by it. You two were _inseparable,_ so why split up over this?" The boy was silent. "Okay. If you really don't want to see him anymore, look me in the eye and say it. If you do that, I'll go away."

Ash tilted his head up, revealing his swollen, red eyes and tear-stained cheeks. His appearance shocked the other girl. His voice came out as a whisper. "I regret what I told him that night. I want to see him so badly, it hurts. I just don't have the strength to. I think that if I see him, I'll burst out crying. I'm a horrible person for saying that to him. I should've just listened!" Everything came barreling out, with no more inhibitions. "Aw geez, I sound like a shojo manga schoolgirl!" He slapped his hand to his face.

Serena spared him a small smile. "Yeah, you kind of sound like one, but I know that everyone acts weird when they talk or think about the person they like. I know. I can relate." She paused for a moment, then continued. "But this shows how much he means to you."

The brown eyed boy let out a grin. Out of curiosity he questioned, "Why do you want to help me?"

The caramel haired girl smiled wistfully. "I...saw the strong bond you and Clemont had before. After observing the way you acted around him, I had a feeling that he was a very important person to you. And your feelings were mutual with his. Then when you two stopped talking and going places together, I felt that it wasn't right. I talked with Bonnie, and from what I heard, it isn't good. Clemont's a mess without you in his life. He really cares about you. Coming from a thirteen year old girl, you two belong together, and I'll do whatever I can to make that happen. I'd hate to see a relationship like yours torn apart."

"Wow, Serena. Thanks...it really means a lot." Ash was utterly surprised at her kindness. Then his thoughts drifted towards a certain blonde boy. _Clemont's hurt. And it's all because of me. I have to do what I can to help him! I have to apologize!_

"No problem! But anyway, let's get going. To Prism Tower!" Then she stopped herself and gestured to the teen boy.

"I think you should change out of your pajamas first."

* * *

"Big Brother, get up!" Bonnie groaned in frustration. This was the millionth time she repeated the said sentence. She pounded his back with her tiny fists. "It's _2:00!_ You've stayed in your bed all morning!"

" _Bonnie!_ " Clemont shouted with annoyance into his pillow (which sounded more like a " _Mmffmmff!_ "). He sank further and further into his bed. He turned his head around frowned. "I'm not leaving from this spot! Can't you see I wanna be alone?!"

The small girl had moxie. "You've been alone for far too long!" Then she grabbed his blanket and tried to yank it off his body. "This is for your own good!" They wrestled with the fluffy blanket. With Clemont's lack of upper body strength (or lack of physical strength in general), Bonnie came out as the victor. She whipped the blanket away from his body. "Got it!"

The boy curled up, trying not to let any of the cold, autumn air reach his skin. His efforts proved to be futile when he shivered violently. The blonde boy attempted to snatch the blanket from his mischievous little sister, to no avail. "Bonnie! Give it back! That's my warmest blanket!"

His younger sibling ran into the doorway and spun around. "You're gonna have to _catch_ me for it!" She stuck her tongue out and exited her brother's bedroom with his cozy comforter.

Without his blanket, he would remain cold. _I need that blanket back!_ He thought. _Or else I wouldn't be able to sleep at all!_ These days, he would've just ignored her, but it was just too cold. He rose from bed and chased after her. "Give me back my blanket!" His bare feet pattered on the cold floor as he ran. The nightcap he was wearing flew off of his blonde head. He could hear her teasing voice down the hallway. She's _in the living room! I've got you now Bonnie!_

Once he spotted the little girl, he dashed right up to her and snatched the blanket from her grasp. The girl, however, had a smug look on her face. _What was that look for? I feel like she has something hidden up her sleeve..._

A ding rang through the air and the steel elevator doors opened. Clemont whipped his head around to see who the newcomer was. _It can't be Dad, because he would be working at this time. So who could it be?_ He was absolutely clueless. He should have seen this coming, but he obviously didn't.

The steel doors opened wide enough for two figures to step out. Serena stepped out first, then stepped aside to reveal the second person.

 _Ash..._

Clemont was dumbstruck at the sight of his ex-best friend. The blanket he was holding dropped to the floor. He opened and closed his mouth, unable to form words. Then he finally spoke to the other boy after a long period of time. He spoke softly, "Ash. I...what are you doing here?"

The raven haired boy was hiding beneath his cap. He seemed to be nervous in the other's presence. Serena was silently encouraging him to look up. Pikachu was poking the boy's face, trying to persuade him into doing _something._

Ash had finally decided to reveal his face. Clemont immediately scanned all of his features. It was a liberty he couldn't take in a long time. He saw the swollen eyes, tear stained cheeks, and felt obliged to run over and comfort him. He took a step forward but abruptly stopped himself. _I forgot we weren't like that anymore._

The brown eyed boy had noticed the inventor's features as well. Clemont had dark circles under his eyes and his hair was a mess. Not to mention the fact that he was in pajamas.

"I'm sorry I-" the both of them began in unison. Their faces grew dark as they looked away nervously.

Ash had decided to speak first. He took a step forward. "Clemont, I'm really sorry. I should've listened to what you were saying that night instead of just bursting out of the room. I guess I was really upset at that time. So what I'm trying to say is...I'm sorry and I want to be friends again. You're a very important person to me and I value our friendship." His cheeks were dark as he said it.

"Don't be sorry!" Clemont stepped forward as well, leaving a small gap between them. "It was all my fault! I should've told you." He adjusted his glasses. "So here's the truth. Yes, I am the Lumiose gym leader. I've been the gym leader since I was eleven, and I live here in Prism Tower. That was the reason why you never came over my place. It would've revealed my secret. I also took university-level classes for a few years to learn more about electric type Pokémon and the uses of electricity. That made me eligible to become the gym leader of Lumiose City." He ran a hand through his hair. "And about me keeping the secret. I was embarrassed of how other people would think of me. And if I told anyone, I wouldn't be treated like an ordinary boy. I just wanted to live a normal life."

Suddenly he took Ash's hand in his own. "I'm so sorry for hurting you like I did. I never should have kept the secret from you. I mean, we were best friends. You told me everything, and I should've done the same. I was an absolute idiot for not trusting you. I hope we can make amends. I also hope you can find it in you to forgive me, and I would very much like to be friends again. You're a person I treasure very much, and I want to be by your side once more. I hope you consider my offer." His blue eyes were filled with guilt and regret. _I know I don't deserve it, but I realized I can't live without him._

Unexpectedly, the gym leader found himself engulfed in a tight hug. Ash muttered into his shoulder, "Of course I'll consider your offer, you idiot." Clemont's cheeks turned pink. He was inadvertently basking in the other's scent. "I forgive you, Clemy."

The inventor closed his eyes and leaned into the boy. Pikachu leapt onto Clemont's shoulder and let out a "Pika!" of approval.

Unbeknownst to Ash and Clemont (but seen by Pikachu), Serena and Bonnie fist bumped each other in a victorious manner. _Mission accomplished._

* * *

 **So what did you think? I hope you liked the whole "making up" scene and the build up towards it. I liked the idea that other writers put into their Diodeshipping works that Ash was compared to a shojo manga girl, so I adopted the idea. I thought it was really funny and cute, so I hope you all liked it too!**

 **While writing this, I wanted Serena's character to develop. I wanted to show how her level of maturity increased and how she put aside her feelings for Ash because...well y'know, Diodeshipping is life! So that crosses Amourshipping out of the picture. (Did you notice the small hint that Delia did not ship it?) I didn't want any bad blood between Serena and Clemont in the future. I have...other plans.**

 **Bonnie was my favorite character to write about. I wanted to capture her cunning, intelligent nature and how she was similar to her brother in more ways than one (hence the blurb about her doing "scientific research"). In the anime, I loved how she was blunt at times and liked to find "keepers" for Clemont.**

 **Thanks for reading! Please review!**

 **- The Missing Fangirl**


	7. Part-Time

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Pokémon.**

 **Hey, this is The Missing Fangirl! Yes, I know that I've been out for über long! But that's beside the point. **

**Anyway, finally! A chapter that's 99% Ash! I had extra fun making this one, and I took my time with it. So I hope you like it!**

* * *

Chapter 7: Part-Time

Ash stared at the black apron and hat in his hands. The words from mere moments ago echoed through his head. _"You can start working right now. If you need any help, you can ask one of your fellow employees."_ Then the sixteen year old boy walked into the faculty room and dressed into his uniform. Printed onto his shirt was the logo of where he was now working. _Café Soleil._

 _No matter how much this job might suck,_ he assured himself. _Remember. You're doing this for Clemont._

After that, he pushed through the door that separated him from the real world. He looked around and examined the milieu around him. People were calmly eating at their tables, the line was nonexistent, and soft music was playing through the entire scene. Everything in the room seemed to glow with a golden hue. Ash found himself smiling at how quaint everything was. Then he approached another employee who had their back to him.

"Hey," he began. "I'm a new employee here, and I was just wondering about what I should do."

The employee whipped their head up from what they were doing and turned to face Ash. "Huh?" Ash saw a mess of large, orange hair and gray eyes. A camera was in his hands. "Ash?"

"Trevor!" The teen exclaimed. "You work here too?"

The ginger smiled. "Yeah, I've been working here for the past month." He rubbed the back of his neck. "The reason why I got this job was so that I would have the chance to meet Diantha! It would be really rare to get a picture with a celebrity!" He had a longing and determined look in his cloudy, gray eyes.

 _It figures,_ Ash thought to himself. _The kid always liked to take pictures._

"So why did you get a job here?" Trevor asked. His voice was jumping with curiosity.

The raven haired boy glanced anywhere but at Trevor's face. He could feel the blood begin to rush to his cheeks. "I...um," he started. _This is so embarrassing!_ He sighed deeply in his mind, knowing that he had no choice but to tell the truth. The photographer somehow knew when a person was lying, and would do whatever he could to ferret the truth out of them. _He's just like a paparazzi photographer!_ "I wanna earn some money so that I could get Clemont a present." His cheeks were dark as he admitted it.

Upon hearing this, the Kalosian nodded. Ash could see the gears working in his head. He followed the ginger's train of thought. _Clemont's birthday isn't anytime soon, so why would Ash be getting him a gif-oh never mind._ Then gray eyed boy's cheeks burned and his body became tense. _I remember…_

The brown eyed teen looked away. Trevor had been one of the first people he told about his secret. Why? Well, Ash knew that Trevor wouldn't tell a soul. And at that time, he was the only person nearby when he came to the realization that he liked Clemont. The two boys went to the same summer camp when they were younger, so it wasn't like he told a complete stranger. They were very good friends, and Ash trusted him.

To bring them onto a different subject, Ash suggested, "Why don't you show me the ropes of this job?"

"Oh, sure!" The photographer perked up. He gestured towards the cash register. "So this is the cash register. You already know what it does, so I'll just cut to the chase. Every time a customer comes over…"

* * *

Ash stood at the register, prepared for whatever may come. It was a Saturday morning, and the café had opened only a few minutes ago. Sunlight was pouring into the room through the wide windows, making the place appear as if it was in a dream. No customers had entered yet, and everything was calm and peaceful. Like any other café, business was a tad bit slow in the mornings, for it was a Saturday. People were normally sluggish in the mornings when they didn't have work. This was Ash's favorite part of the day: the part where time stood still and the world seemed to stop. The healthy, morning sun made the room into the color of pale honey. The scene wouldn't last forever. The morning would transition to afternoon, then to night.

As if someone had pressed the fast-forward button, the customers began to file in. Mostly regulars, or the usuals. Many familiar faces came to greet him as they walked through the door. After working for quite a few weeks, Ash had become familiarized with the people. The chimes attached to the door rang in harmony every time someone would walk in. They had an unsung rhythm, where they harmonized with the steps and small talk the people exchanged. To Ash, it was music to his ears.

The sixteen year old rang up customers' orders and called back to the staff so their orders would be freshly made. Every day, it was the same routine, and the aspiring trainer both loved and hated it. He rather enjoyed seeing the satisfaction in the people's faces. But he hated the fact that sometimes people only came in to use the toilet. Whenever those kinds of people came in, did their business, and left without a single order, Ash would shake his head in disappointment. _Why even come here? I'm pretty sure that there's a nearby restroom on Northern Boulevard!_

The day was pretty normal. He rang up orders, used the cash register, went on 5-minute breaks. Just an average morning at work. Well, at least until a certain person came bursting through the door. Her blonde hair was neatly tied up into a side ponytail and her bright, blue eyes, just like her brother's, carefully scanned the room. She was almost two heads shorter than the cashier, but her pert personality made up for her height. The young preteen skipped up to the display case and examined all of the potential choices. The pouch at her side opened, revealing a grinning Dedenne. The two pointed at various pastries trying to decide on their order. The Pokémon and owner were bustling with excitement.

On the other hand, Ash was freaking out. The girl hadn't noticed him yet, for which he was thankful for. _I can't let her see me here! Then my surprise will be ruined for sure!_ He looked around frantically in search of Trevor, in the hopes that he could take his place at the cash register. He inwardly screamed. _I forgot! Trevor's on his day off! Arceus! What am I going to do?_ As a last resort, he tilted his cap down, to try and cover his face. _Maybe she won't notice who I am with my hat down like this!_ He knew it was a bust, but he had to at least try.

Much to the cashier's chagrin, the blonde and her Pokémon had made their choice swiftly. Once the young girl approached the cash register, her eyes grew wide with curiosity. She craned her neck to see who was hiding under his hat. "Hello? Excuse me?"

 _Arceus! I am so dead!_ The teen wailed in his mind. He tilted his head lower, still trying to conceal his identity, but the little girl was faster. She jumped up, plucked the hat off his head and stared in awe at who she discovered was under the cap.

"Ash? Is that you?" The schoolgirl asked, even though she very well knew the answer. Dedenne poked its head out of the pouch, seeing what all of the commotion was about.

"Hi, Bonnie." Ash greeted nervously.

The girl handed back his hat and pelted him with questions. "Why are you working here? Is this the reason why you weren't able to hang out with my brother these days? How much money do you make? Is it a lot?" She was very insistent, and Ash felt obligated to answer.

"It's a good thing that there's no line, so I can answer all of your questions." He laughed. "So firstly, I'm working here so I can earn enough money to get your brother a present. Don't tell him." He strictly warned her. After she nodded vigorously, he continued. "Secondly, yes. Thirdly, it's none of your business, and fourthly, see thirdly."

Bonnie was absolutely elated. She was jumping up and down (or, in her case, more than usual) and squealing. "You're getting something for my brother~!" She sang. "After you give the gift, are you going to _confess?_ "

The spiky haired teen was dumbstruck. "I...um, never thought of that before." His face flushed. Just the thought of himself, confessing his feelings to the guy he liked. _It's just like in shojo mangas!_ He thought. _Does that mean that I'm the girl?_ He decided to keep that question unanswered. Instead he responded with an, "I don't know. Should I?"

The mischievous glint in Bonnie's eyes made Ash regret asking that. " _Yes!_ " She practically screamed out loud, catching the attention of a few customers. She gave a quiet "Sorry!" and the people went about their business. With a lowered volume she said, "You definitely need to confess! After all, you really like him and everyone knows that my big brother is shy when it comes to these kinds of things! He needs that little push. And who _knows_ what'll happen afterwards!" She giggled maniacally, making Ash wonder what was going through the small blonde's head. Whatever it was, he decided that he didn't want to know.

"Even if I did confess, _hypothetically speaking,_ I wouldn't know what to say. I don't think I have the strength to." The boy from Kanto admitted. He rubbed the back of his neck.

The twelve-year-old girl grinned. "That's what you have me for, right? But the only advice I have to give you is to be yourself. Speak through your heart. I know that people usually act all weird around people they're attracted to and try to come up with these cheesy lines, but that just doesn't work. It's too cliché, you know what I mean? So the best thing you should do is be straightforward. My big brother will take that as a sign that you're serious about what you want. You got that?"

The sixteen-year-old nodded. "For a twelve year old, you give some pretty solid advice." He reached over the counter and patted the top of her head. "Now I have a question for you. What would you like to order?"

"Oh!" Bonnie was taken off guard. Then she began to laugh, for she forgot that she was at the front of a nonexistent line. "Dedenne and I would like an Oran berry scone and a Sitrus berry smoothie to-go, please." The mouse Pokémon made a small sound, agreeing with the order.

"Alright," Ash pushed a few buttons on the register, and the total came out. "Your total will be 8,500 Pokédollars."

The blonde girl pulled out a few bills from the side pocket of her pouch and handed them to him. "There you go!"

The cashier then gave her back the change. "Just out of curiosity, how did you get here?"

Bonnie smiled. "My big brother took me! Y'see he's just out the door. He said that he'd wait for me out there."

Ash's head whipped around to look at the large windows. There he was, the tall, blonde scientist leaning against a wall, his back facing the glass. The raven haired boy could feel the Butterfree and Vivillon fluttering in his stomach. _It's him,_ he thought wistfully.

"If you could only see yourself!" Bonnie shook her head and smiled. "That's all the reason right there that you should confess!" This comment caused the teen to blush furiously.

A few moments later, he handed her the newly made smoothie and placed the freshly baked scone in a bag. Then a split second later, he put in a second scone. Bonnie saw this and her eyes widened. He casually replied, "Give this to your brother. But don't say that it's from me!" He put a finger to his own lips. " _Promise!_ " The girl crossed her heart with her fingers. After that, she skipped away excitedly.

The trainer looked longingly at the tall figure outside and smiled to himself.

* * *

Ash's hands shook as he pressed the button of the elevator. It was the night of the confession, where he would finally own up to his feelings. He shifted his backpack strap on his shoulder. Inside, was where the present sat. It tossed back and forth on the case. Moments later, the steel doors opened. He took a step out and examined his surroundings. Suddenly a short figure jumped out at him. Everything was a blur of yellow.

"Ash! You're here!" Bonnie hugged his middle. "What's the backpack for?" Then she looked up and winked.

Ash couldn't help but blush, for he knew exactly the reason why. "So where's your brother?" He asked coolly.

"He's still in his room. _Freshening up._ "

On the outside he seemed level headed and calm, but inside, he was flipping out. _Oh my Arceus, I don't think I can handle this! I hope that he never comes out of his room! I'm not ready!_ His eyes were wide and panicked. _I wish Pikachu was here! I need moral support! Oh, why did I leave Pikachu at home with Mom?!_

The little girl noticed the tension radiating from him and smiled warmly. She whispered, "Don't worry. You'll be _fine!_ " She patted his arm assuringly. "Just pretend like you're just hanging out with him, like normal. Now go knock on his door. He should be ready now."

The trainer nodded, trying to convince himself that everything was going to be alright. He walked through the hallway, approaching the door slowly. Once he got to it, he raised his hand and making a fist, gingerly knocked on the flat surface.

"Bonnie!" A familiar voice yelled out. "I'm done, alright?" The door swiftly opened, revealing a very annoyed gym leader. "You can sto-" his voice faltered. Bright pink painted over his cheeks. " _Ash!_ " His eyes were wide and his lips parted. A white towel was slung over his shoulder with his blonde hair in slightly damp clumps framing his face. Round, wire framed glasses rested atop his nose. The jumpsuit he was notorious for wearing was nowhere to be seen. It was replaced with a deep blue sweatshirt with a hood and black pants.

Ash was taken aback. "Clemont." The Lumiose gym leader's name escaped the trainer's lips. In fact, that name was the only thing going through the chambers of his mind. Clemont. He coughed awkwardly. "So are you ready to go yet?"

"Y-yeah," the blonde stammered, as if he was just pulled from a deep thought. "Let's head out now." He deposited his towel then approached the elevator with the raven haired boy trailing behind. The steel doors opened with a ding and they entered. The numbers on the digital screen counted down, the elevator music playing softly.

 _Floor 5...4...3..._

Suddenly the elevator lurched and stopped in its tracks. The lights flickered.

Clemont was freaking out. "What happened?! This isn't supposed to happen! What's wrong with this thing?!" He pounded the metal doors. "Open up!"

The boy from the Kanto region looked on with curiosity. And slight amusement.

"It's no use…" The inventor slumped against the wall and sat on the floor, arms crossed over his knees. "I designed this elevator so that it couldn't be adjusted from the inside. Just for decorational purposes." He buried his head in his arms, muffling the sound of his voice. "Why on _Kalos_ would I do that?" He raised his head a little. "But it's a good thing that I added a sensor that would detect whether or not the elevator was in motion. It sends a notification to personnel during times like these. _Unfortunately,_ I believe that personnel are on break at this time. So it might be a little while until we're actually rescued." His blue eyes were downcast.

Ash sank to the floor adjacent to him. He replied soothingly. "Well, look on the bright side. Even though you're stuck here, you're stuck here with _me._ And _c'mon._ Aren't I your best friend or something?" He face palmed in his mind. _Nice going, Ash! You put yourself in the friend zone! How're you supposed to confess now?_ He thought. _Arceus! The confession! I had a whole thing planned out, and now it's going to waste! I guess I have to make due…_

The Kalosian laughed, lightening the mood. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I was kinda overreacting to the incident." He turned his head to face the Kantonese boy. "Since we're not going to be getting out anytime soon, what was your plan for tonight?"

The trainer gulped. Noticing how close they were in proximity, he felt a blush appearing on his face. _Not again! Okay, Ash. Focus on the task at hand._ "I, uh...wanted to go visit the library with you. On the way there, we were gonna get some fresh Lumiose gallettes."

"The library?" The gym leader inquired, confused. "I thought that you _hated_ the idea of reading? And we don't have any partner projects at school, so why would you want to go to the library?" His bright, blue eyes were staring at him intently. They were practically saying, _I can tell when you're lying, Ash Ketchum._

"I wanted to go to the library 'cause I wanted to give you something."

"Give me what?"

 _Agh! Curse you and your stupidly adorable curiosity! Now I feel compelled to spill the beans!_ "Um...this." The raven haired boy removed his backpack from his back. He zipped open the bag and reached in. He pulled out a large textbook sized book. He thrust it harshly into the recipient's hands. He looked down, hiding the immense blush that had taken place on his cheeks. _This is so embarrassing!_ "I didn't have time to wrap it, but...just look at it." From the corner of his eye, he peeked at how the other would react.

Clemont examined the book with childlike wonder. He read the cover aloud. "All Things Pokémon, by-" a pause. "-Professor Oak!" He exclaimed. "I thought you could only find these books on Kanto!" He flipped the cover open to the title page. There he noticed, scrawled in fancy handwriting, was a signature. "This is Professor Oak's signature! Ash! How did you manage to get this! Not to mention that it's pretty expensive!" His eyes were burning with excitement.

Ash laughed at how happy the blonde became. "Well, I asked Gary for it, so yeah. I also took up a part-time job at Café Soleil for a couple of weeks. And I promised myself that, uh, the first money I ever earned…" The Kantonese boy looked up at the scientist. "I would spend it on _you._ "

The Kalosian's face became pink, and he smiled. "Thank you so much...I don't know what to say. You didn't have to do that for me, I-" he looked away. "Agh! How come it's so hard to talk to you!" He groaned in frustration. After realizing what he said, he added, "Forget I said that." He looked down at the book in his lap. Then he decided to flip through some of the pages. At a certain page, a note flew out. "Huh? What's this?" The Lumiose gym leader plucked the piece of paper off of the floor. The note read,

 _Clemont,_

 _I'm writing this note to you because I know that I won't be able to say it to you in person. But what I'm trying to say is that I like you. Alot._

 _We've known each other for almost our entire lives, and I can't remember a time when I didn't want to be by your side. I've been beating around the bush for too long, and I desided to take this chance even though you may not like me in that way back._

 _I wanted to get this off my chest for a while, and I did now. So I'd like to be more than friends with you, if that's ok._

 _Ash._

Clemont put the note down, back into the book. He closed the front cover. Ash looked away, afraid of how his friend would react. _He's not saying anything! He doesn't like me! What am I going to do-_ his thoughts were interrupted by gently whispered words.

" _I like you too._ "

Ash whipped his head around, wide eyed at the inventor. _Did I hear him wrong?_ "W-what did you say?" His voice was shaking, bordering between absolutely ecstatic and scared to death. In truth, the confessor was more mentally prepared for when the scientist would say _no,_ than if he said _yes._ He was completely tongue tied.

The gym leader smiled shakily, his voice doing the same. He ran a hand through his hair. "I've liked you since, well, _forever._ And…" He reached over and cupped the Kantonese boy's cheek. Ash leaned into the touch, his long-term dreams coming true all at once. Then they both leaned closer, until they were inches apart. Clemont muttered under his breath so only Ash would be able to hear, "Your note is _riddled_ with errors." After that, they leaned in even closer.

"Wait," Ash pushed away gently, his heart beating in his throat. He rested his hands on the other's chest. "Before we do any of this, you've gotta promise me something. Please."

The Kalosian nodded. "Anything."

"Be my boyfriend." The trainer looked earnestly at the blonde. "And can we take things slow? I've never done this before, and everything seems like it's going so fast." _I know I've been wanting this for a long time, but I think I can wait a little longer._

Clemont grinned. "Okay." Instead of kissing the boy, he engulfed his new boyfriend in a hug.

Ash inhaled his scent. He smiled smally. "I never thought that you'd like me."

"I never thought that you would like me." The scientist replied. "I hope that this elevator _never_ gets fixed." He chuckled.

Much to their dismay, the elevator doors opened, revealing a smug looking Bonnie. "I see you sorted everything out, then."

The two teens separated faster than a Doduo could run. Both their faces were flushed. But Bonnie had seen enough. She grinned and giggled maniacally. The little girl jumped with glee. "Big Brother has a keeper! Big Brother has a keeper!"

Both teens shouted in unison, "Bonnie!"

* * *

Clemont woke up from his nap with a start. _That was such a good dream,_ he thought to himself. The corners of his lips turned upwards. Then reality struck him. His smile vanished. The events from yesterday repeated themselves in the seventeen year old's mind. There was only one definite thought caught up in his head.

 _Ash is leaving for Kanto tomorrow._

* * *

 **So what did you think? I worked so, so much on this. I know I've been out for a month, but I wanted to come back with something large. Just so you know, with the Pokédollar situation, I made it like Yen, where 1,000 Yen is a small amount of money.**

 **Just so you know, the errors in Ash's note were not a mistake I made. It was on purpose! (Alot-a lot, desided-decided, ok-okay, etc..) I hope you fans are still here! I don't know when the next update will be, but it will be soon, and things will add up!**

 **And sorry for no kiss! I didn't feel like it was the time yet. They're going steady. But you finally found out why Clemont has been so upset! Ash is leaving! (Hehe...please don't hate me.) But the question is _why?_ Dun dun dun! **

**Until the next update! Please review!**

 **- The Missing Fangirl**


	8. BONUS: Valentine's Day

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Pokémon.**

 **Hey, this is The Missing Fangirl! This is a late Valentine's Day gift I've been planning. This is an apology gift for that long, January hiatus! Please accept this small present! **

**And I'd like to thank all my fans for supporting me all the way! I'm glad to have inspired people to become writers themselves (you know who you are *wink*)! I've never felt so important! And I practically _live_ off of your reviews! They're absolutely appreciated! You're all awesome!**

 **Anyways, this chapter...I think it ties of a small number of loose ends, in my opinion. You might not get what I'm saying, but it might make more sense at the end of this fanfic! So here we are, I'm almost done with this story. I'm gonna miss the process of writing this! It was a lot of fun!**

 **Without further ado, here's the belated Valentine's Day bonus!**

* * *

BONUS: Valentine's Day

Clemont held the homemade bag of chocolates in his hands. After minimal help from Bonnie, _alright_ , a _lot_ of help from Bonnie, he had a satisfying end product. A dozen small sugar cookies were wrapped up in a plastic gift bag. The opening of the bag was closed off with a red ribbon with pink hearts printed onto it. The ribbon was all Bonnie's idea.

Inside, Clemont knew how absolutely _gay_ the whole thing looked, but that was exactly what he was. He didn't mind, anyway, because he knew that his boyfriend would love it. And that, in Clemont's opinion, was _completely_ worth it.

The Lumiose gym leader smiled and adjusted his glasses. Footsteps were heard as he saw other students walking to school. Many boys and girls were walking together, hands linked, for they had an excuse to be lovey-dovey. The high school had a strict PDA rule, but on Valentine's Day, the faculty was a bit lenient.

The blonde pulled the entrance doors to the school open and headed to his first class. Pokémon Biology with Professor Sycamore. It was an elective, so a scanty amount of students were scheduled in that class. Once the scientist entered he threw his school-related items onto his desk. Just as fast as he had entered he left. He briskly walked down the hallway and up the main stairs in order to reach his destination. _Room 214...room 214…_ He scoped the area, searching for those three important numbers. Other students and doe eyed love bugs were hanging around the corridors, being sappy and all. That was when he spotted it. _Room 214!_

The blue eyed sixteen year old rushed towards to door. Grasping the doorknob tightly, he yanked the door open. Uproars, screams, and bags of chocolate blew out of the room. A large mob of girls were swarming around one particular desk, waving around their pastry bags. He knew all too well at who the epicenter of it all was. Clemont pushed past the screaming, teenage girls. A certain Kantonese teenager was sitting nervously in his chair.

Ash pushed the bags of chocolates away. "I'm sorry, I can't accept these. I'm in a relationship. Sorry, I-" he spotted the Lumiose gym leader. "Clemy!" He jumped out of his seat and took his boyfriend's arm. He ushered them out of the room.

As they left, the crowd of girls went silent. Little side comments and giggles were heard. Clemont even heard a few murmurs of the word " _yaoi_ ", but he had no idea what that meant. He merely shrugged the word off and continued on his way. They stopped walking once they were out of eyeshot (and earshot) of their female peers.

The blonde was the first to speak. "I made this for you." He pulled out the bag of homemade chocolates and presented them to the brown eyed trainer. He looked away anxiously, his cheeks going pink.

"Clemy, I...my chocolates for you were taken by one of the girls." Ash frowned and looked down. "I'm sorry, I don't have any chocolates for you."

Clemont thought, _Aww, he's so adorable in this state._ He replied, "That's okay. I've got all that I need right here."

"No, it's _not_ okay! I made those especially for _you!_ " The trainer pouted. Then a wide grin graced his features. "But there's _one_ present I've been meaning to give to you." Without waiting for an answer, Ash leaned forward (slightly on his tiptoes) and pressed his lips softly on the inventor's. His eyes widened in shock, then relaxed and closed. The intellectual absentmindedly rested his hands above the Kantonese boy's waist. He focused on the task at hand.

Frustrated, Ash pulled away just to stand on the entirety of his feet. Clemont looked at him with a confused expression, as if saying, _Why'd you stop?_ Though his lips, which were stretched into a goofy smile, said otherwise.

"Okay, that one didn't count. If this is going to be our first kiss, it's going to be a special one!" The spiky haired teen exclaimed, determined. Then he grabbed the collar of the scientist's shirt and yanked him down until their lips met. He cupped the taller teen's cheeks and deepened the kiss.

The kiss, in Clemont's opinion, was overall sweet. Cue the fireworks, cue the electricity, the whole shabang. It was cheesy, it was cliché, but Clemont loved every second of it. Their mouths moved against one another, their lips on fire. Years and years of longing and desperation poured into a single locking of lips. Then they released, the taste of each other on their mouths. Ash left with the taste of electricity, which he had never appreciated so much in his entire life. Stupid smiles and blushes were imprinted onto the boys' faces.

"I really, _really_ like you. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you." The Lumiose gym leader whispered.

The trainer blushed deeper. "I really, really like you too." He held both of his boyfriend's hands. "And as for us being together, I promise _forever._ " He embraced the taller boy and buried his face into his chest. With a muffled tone he said, "Happy Valentine's Day, Clemy."

"Happy Valentine's Day, Ash." Clemont kissed the top of the Kantonese boy's head. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted the girls from Ash's classroom hiding around the corner, distantly giggling and gossiping.

He didn't particularly care, anyway. All he needed was right there in his arms.

* * *

 **So what did you think? First kiss—wha~! Aww, my cute Diode babies, I love them both! I know this was a short chapter, but I still liked it. I hope you liked it! And thank you again for your continued support!**

 **Please review! Until the next update!**

 **- The Missing Fangirl**


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